Ana answered on a prepaid phone, cautious, her voice tight. Claire told her there had been a mistake and asked her to come back. Ana hesitated, afraid it was a setup. Only after Claire promised the police would not be involved did she agree.
When Ana returned, Claire showed her the video.
Ana watched without speaking. Her hands shook. When Michael appeared on the screen, her legs gave out and she sat heavily in the chair. She didn’t cry. She looked hollow, like someone seeing proof of a truth she had already feared.
Claire apologized. Quietly. Completely. She offered Ana her job back with increased pay. Ana refused. Some things couldn’t be undone.
“What will happen to him?” Ana asked.
Claire didn’t answer.
That evening, Claire confronted Michael again, the laptop open between them. This time, he didn’t deny it. He sighed, rubbed his forehead, and admitted he’d taken the money to cover a personal debt from a failed investment. He claimed he intended to put it back.
“And letting her take the blame?” Claire asked.
Michael shrugged. “She had no power. You know that.”
That was when Claire understood the damage was permanent.